Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has been downgraded to out for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, but his recent core muscle injury is not the culprit.
Instead, a bout with the flu bug that was going around Seattle’s locker room last week seems to have finally caught up with Clowney, who missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday with flu like symptoms.
Clowney was able to practice on Friday, but apparently his illness (and possibly his core injury) were too much for the Seahawks to feel comfortable suiting him up this week.
“He’s still getting back,” Carroll said on Friday. “He was out here with us today and all. He’s recovering still. He’s been pretty sick.”
David Moore, Tre Flowers and Tyler Lockett were among those afflicted with the flu last week, although all three managed to make it back in time to play against the Rams in Los Angeles.
Carroll had hoped Clowney would follow the same path, but he admitted, “it hasn’t been a good week for him at all.”
The Seahawks will be without Clowney’s ability as a run-stuffer and a pass-rusher this week against a Panthers offense that, even without Cam Newton, still has plenty of weapons to play spoiler against Seattle in a crucial Week 15 matchup.
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